Home Is Behind, The World Ahead
by Fool of a Brandybuck
Summary: Pippin is feeling a little scared and useless after the Fellowship set off on their journey from Rivendell, so Aragorn gives him a quick pep talk. No Slash.


**This one doesn't end sadly, like my other stories. This was a request from someone on my tumblr with the prompt "Where are we going?", which was Pippin's line from 'Fellowship of the Ring'. This is set in the movie universe. I don't actually think Pippin is this whiny, but I just felt like showing his younger side- he was still classed as a kid after all...**

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"Great... Where are we going?" Pippin's innocent wide-eyes looked around the Council of Elrond as he smiled at the other members of the fellowship and Elrond himself. Merry just stared at the youngest in disbelief that Pippin wasn't even listening to where they were heading on their long journey.

Frodo just smirked slightly; ah, good old Pippin. Surely he'll make the trip more pleasant, more relaxed and joyful- Oh, Frodo couldn't be more wrong.

Not an hour into the journey, Pippin has started whining that his feet were beginning to get sore and complaining about the tiredness that was washing over him already.

"Where exactly are we going, again?"

"I don't know, Pippin." Was Merry's hurriedly hushed answer to Pippin's repeated question. Merry wasn't in the mood and was beginning to become irritated.

"Are you sure?" Pippin started limping from the tiredness in his legs and he produced a loud annoyed sigh, "Oh, can't we rest here for a while?" He asked as he gripped the branch of a tree, leaning on it to relieve his feet.

For the whole trip so far, Pippin wouldn't stop asking about where they were going? Where was Mordor? How far was it? When were they going to rest? And, truly, he was getting on everyone nerves.

"No one's resting now." Gimli's gruff voice told Pippin sternly and sharply as he kept walking.

"We rest when I say we rest. These roads are dangerous; there is to be no time for stopping as of yet." Aragorn calmly said to them all as he followed behind Gandalf, who led them through the trees.

A few minutes later, Merry was pulled aside by Pippin, who looked at him sadly. He knew he was being the annoying little hobbit, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry, Merry." Pippin looked at his with tears building up. "I'm just getting a little scared now. I thought we would be on our way home; back to the Shire. I miss the Shire, Merry"

"Keep up, young Hobbits!" Boromir called back at them as they ventured further away from the two standing at the base of a tree.

Merry gave Pippin a tight hug, "I know, Pippin; I do too. But Frodo needs our help. They all do." He told him before they jogged to catch up to the group again and Pippin nodded slightly as he ran; a single tear falling from his cheek, which he wiped away once they reached the pack again.

He had been quite scared since they left Rivendell; this was the furthest away from home he's ever been, and they were still going further! He was beginning to miss his hobbit hole, his bed, and his cooked breakfasts. He knew the other three must be feeling the same way too, but being the youngest of the four, it was harder for him; he was still only a kid in their eyes.

He decided to keep his head down and just follow them. He couldn't hide his nervousness behind silly questions any longer, so he just walked side by side with Bill the pony, hoping he wouldn't start crying again- Oh, how he already missed Hobbiton.

Pippin had been quiet for the next half hour, which everyone was thankful for, but also a little surprised. They didn't know what had stopped the hobbit whining, but they were grateful for it.

"Pippin?" a voice softly cooed from above him, and Pippin glanced up to see Aragorn looking down at him with a concerned face.

Pippin just looked back down to the ground with shame and embarrassment that he had acted like such a whining child for the beginning of this walk; the rest of the fellowship must probably dislike him already...

"Pippin, I know what you must be feeling." Aragorn confided with him as he placed a hand on Pippin's shoulder, "The first time I was far, far away from home by myself, I was 16. I cried the first three nights because I was so scared."

Pippin suddenly looked up at Aragorn with disbelief. He cried? The man who was now such a brave warrior, the son of Arathorn, the rightful king of Gondor; he had felt this way too? It almost seemed impossible to believe, but Aragorn's eyes showed that he was telling the truth.

Aragorn gave him a sad smile when he saw a tear stream from both of Pippin's eyes simultaneously. He wiped one of the tears away with his thumb as he continued his pep talk.

"Do not be afraid of crying, little one. It is natural to be scared." He said and they stopped in their tracks, letting the others fall in front. He knelt down so he was eye to eye with Pippin's crying ones.

"But you have your friends, and people who will protect you. You will be safe. You are strong, master hobbit." Aragorn looked deeply into Pippin's eyes, hoping to retrieve the strong-minded and courageous hobbit that was hidden underneath the amour of tears and worries.

A sudden tight embrace covered Aragorn's torso as Pippin launched himself into a hug. The Ranger smiled as his larger arms wrapped around the youngest member. The talk had worked.

Aragorn loosened his hug and stood up, looking down at Pippin once again. Pippin no longer had a look of worry, but a look of determination; determined to show what this young hobbit could be capable of.

The Ranger grinned as they walked quickly back to the group, "I think we should rest." He called, and everyone turned around to look at him.

"But it is still only midday; we should carry on." Legolas insisted, confused at Aragorn's decision when they could cover much ground in this time. But Gandalf knew why Aragorn had chosen to rest.

"We still have a long way to go. We should continu-"

Aragorn cut his protest short and interrupted him, "Havo dad, Legolas. A hauta sinomë ter sí. Posto vae."

Legolas looked down and nodded, realising how tired he actually was.

Seeing a fallen over tree trunk, Gandalf perched himself on it and groaned as he sat down. The others followed his lead and they sat on rocks and against trees as they took a breather.

Pippin gave a small smile to Aragorn as thanks, and he went to sit next to Merry, who had already started unwrapping the bread that was in his bag.

And although Pippin was still worried about the journey ahead, he realised that was okay; he had his kin and people he trusted with him. As long as he kept his head held high, he would be fine.

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A/N: Aragorn's Elvish sentence, **"Havo dad, Legolas. A hauta sinomë ter sí. Posto vae.**" translates roughly to: **"Sit down, Legolas. Rest here for now. Rest Well."**


End file.
